The Prince of Peace
Hippocrates
has long been considered the “Father of Medicine” the Hippocratic Oath is an
ethical code that each new physician pledges to uphold, in tribute to the
spirit of the founding father. Scientific research now shows that the origin of
the recorded history of medicine can be dated over one thousand years before
Hippocrates was born.
There are
about eight major ancient medical papyri that show the scientific approach to
medicine in ancient Egypt, the Edwin Smith papyrus for example entails details
focused on surgery, a medical practice that early European religious political
laws considered a crime.
The
discovery of these ancient Egyptian texts written on papyrus gave details on medical
knowledge in the areas such as surgery, dentistry, gynecological conditions and
migraines. The first recorded founder of Egyptian medicine was Imhotep also
known as the Prince of Peace.
Imhotep was
not only considered the father of medicine he was an astrologer and chief
Vizier to the Pharaoh. Imhotep was also the father of Egyptian architecture he
built Egypt’s first pyramid. The Djoser Step Pyramid in Saqqara Egypt still
stands and is considered to be the world’s first monumental stone.
An
illustration taken from the Physician’s Tomb which is also in Saqqara shows
practitioners using the therapeutic benefits of foot and hand manipulation; (what
we now call reflexology or chunsoo Ki treatments). This was more than 4000
years ago. Ann Gillanders has a picture of this illustration in her book “The
Joy of Reflexology”. The practitioners were dark skin with short wooly textured
hair.
Imhotep used
medicine from plants and herbs, practiced meditation, energy healing
techniques, diagnosed and treated over 200 diseases, 2000 years before
Hippocrates was born. The early Greek temples dedicated to Imhotep whom they
called “Imouthes” were centers of medical teachings. History also tells us that
the Third Dynasty and the court of Pharaoh Zoser were Nubian decedents from the
Kingdom of Kush; this was the time of Imhotep a high priest and the advisor to
the Pharoh.
The true
father of medicine was a “Black Man” yet when we think of brilliant medical
professionals many do not see a person of African descent although there are
many. There is a strange and sad story about a leading African American surgeon
who was rushed to a southern hospital’s emergency room in the mid 50’s due to a
heart attack. When word that this famous doctor was in the hospital’s emergency
room, the operating room was set up with the hospital’s best doctors ready to
go.
Two attendants
were sent to bring this famous doctor to the operating room; they found two
patients one a well-dressed Blackman and a white homeless drunk; guess who they
brought up to the operating room. As we move into this current time of change
it is important to understand many of the things we have been programed to
believe about ourselves and others are illusionary.
Holistic and
natural wellness options like energy treatments and movement exercises are now
becoming accepted options in many of today’s medical communities yet the true
father of medicine and inspiration to Hippocrates understood their benefits
thousands of years ago.
I wonder
where the world would be today if the advance science and technology practiced
during the time of Imhotep could have proceeded and advanced uninterrupted. I
have no doubt that there is a reason for this cycle of relearning during this
current stage of the human evolutionary journey